The Next Day
by eando4ever17
Summary: This is basically the REAL reaction that Marshall had when he found out that Mary was engaged to Raph...Plus, it also includes some very...*AHEM*...Mary/Marshall moments, if you get my drift *wink wink* COMPLETE no smut though, sorry folks *tear*


**A/N: So, after that…HORRIBLE TO SAY THE LEAST episode a week or so ago(Raph proposing to Mary and she saying yes), I have decided to write a fic that is a follow up on the next day. This is it, obviously. I am sooo upset right now, that this is probably going to end up sounding extremely shippery and horrible, but read anyway, please? I mean come on, you already clicked the name anyway, what's it gonna hurt? LOL, but yeah, just read it anyway :) Tell me what you think!**

**Disclaimer: This is totally ruining my ego...make me feel better by commenting! LMAO! Oh, the disclaimer? I own nothing. Happy now? (whoever is the producer of IPS LOL)**

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**The day after Mary agrees to Marry Raph**

**8:30 P.M.**

Mary walked into the station with a completely different attitude than Marshall had seen the day before. She had been out all day making house-calls for her witnesses, so he hadn't see her before now. However, she was no longer acting like _his_ Mary, and that worried him. He frowned as she walked in, sat down at her desk, and logged in, not even taking a second to insult Eleanor's new outfit – whether she really liked it or not was inconsequential – he knew she would say some snide comment just to get on Eleanor's nerves. But she didn't.

So they sat in silence for a few minutes, the only sounds consisting of Eleanor typing on her computer and Mary's pen scratching against the paperwork she was filling out. Marshall studied her, intent on figuring out what was different, why she was acting so…unlike Mary.

Then he saw it.

It hit him like a stack of bricks, his breath literally being knocked out of him.

The pain slammed hard in his chest, keeping him unable to breathe in or out.

He couldn't believe it. Suddenly he knew _exactly_ why she was acting differently.

The ring.

It was a simple little object, one of not much significance in itself. But what it represented was very much different.

What it represented was rejection, betrayal, and pain.

What it represented was the end to life as he, and everyone else around him, knew it.

It represented her love for another man.

It represented the fact that she did not love him back.

It represented the Apocalypse of his world.

Finally, he was able to let out a shuddering gasp. He never saw Eleanor - who was still stealthily trying to figure out for herself what exactly was different about Mary - glance over at him. He never saw her do a double-take when her brain registered exactly what Marshall looked like at the present moment. She then followed his gaze, and for a moment was unable to find what he was so fixated on. Then she saw it too.

Her reaction was not as severe as Marshall's, but it was more audible, yet still going unnoticed by anyone in the room. She visibly paled as she looked between Marshall's grief-stricken face to Mary's hand. Then she looked back at Marshall to fully evaluate his current state.

What she saw was a man whose life was falling down around him in every aspect, every wall he had ever created between him and the world come crashing down. She had known that he had had feelings for Mary – that much was obvious to anyone who saw them even have a conversation – But she hadn't know _how deep_ his feelings ran. But she sure as _hell_ knew now.

And then she saw it. The one thing she had rarely ever seen from a man, much less from Marshall.

The tear.

It was singular, for there was only one. But she saw it. She saw the way his face went from grief to one of pure anguish as full realization took hold. She felt sadness wash over her as she saw Marshall's slight facade fall, crumbling helplessly to the ground.

She stood up and went into Stan's office quietly, making sure she left unnoticeably.

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He didn't know how long he sat there, just staring at her.

He didn't know that a tear had escaped his eye.

He didn't know that Eleanor was aware of how he was feeling.

He didn't know that Eleanor existed at all at the current moment.

He didn't know that his face was showing all of his emotions as though they were written on a 75-point poster.

He didn't know that she was battling a seemingly hopeless internal battle.

So when she turned to him after an entire thirty minutes of doing paperwork, at first he didn't see her emotions as he usually did. He didn't really see her move. All he could see were all of the times they had spent together, all of the jokes they had played, all of the conversations they had had…All of the moments they had shared. All of the times he had said, "I love you," but just using different words. All of the times he had been there for her. All of the times she had been there for him. All of the times they had transported witnesses. All of the times he had known, thought about, and wanted her.

He was shaken out of his reverie by Mary standing up at her desk and walking over to him. He tried valiantly to hide his feelings and his emotions, and she saw it. She also saw him fail miserably. Probably the first time he had ever failed miserably at something.

He followed her with his eyes as she crossed the small space between them. He saw her urgency – _her fear _– written plain across her face.

"Marshall," she said, crouching down beside of him. He refused to even move his head, fearing that, if he were to even look at her again, he may not be able to control his emotions, and therefore his actions. She became agitated as the seconds passed and he still did not meet her eyes.

"God damn it Marshall, look at me!"

Somehow he managed to turn his head to look, feeling as if he had been turned to stone.

"Why?" he rasped out quietly.

She was alarmed by his voice, and yet, she knew exactly what he was talking about. She could hear the desperation in his voice as he silently begged her to explain _why_ she agreed to marry Raph.

She had been asking herself the exact same question all night.

Before she could answer though, he suddenly stood up, clenching his jaw. She stood up too, not to be left on the ground alone. He was struggling with his emotions, she could tell, but _what _emotions exactly, she could not decipher. She had a pretty good idea though.

"How…how could you?" he managed to say, his voice cracking at the end, causing him to stop his question.

She moved in front of him, squeezing herself in the small space between him and his desk. She had actually had this dream before, except it had been under _very, _and I repeat, _very_ different circumstances. Then he looked at her, straight into her eyes – straight into her very soul. She inevitably did the same, slightly afraid because she was feeling so…_exposed_. All of her was under his gaze, revealed without the protective covering of sarcasm – to be seen, to be judged. But she knew he wouldn't judge her – he never had, and he never would. She knew that, but it she was still feeeling slightly skittish.

Then she saw it. The reason for his pain. It was in his eyes, clear as day – she had seen it every day, to be honest, but had just never been able to fully understand _what_ exactly she was seeing. Then she licked her lips nervously. He saw this, and his eyes darted there, before going back to her eyes. She did the same, and then she - Mary Shannon of the U.S. Marshals – blushed. He adverted his eyes, looking anywhere and everywhere but at her.

Mary looked down at her hand. Her _left_ hand. She then proceeded to something Marshall would have only dreamed of (had he been thinking period when he first saw her with the ring).

She pulled it off, and held it to the side of them. She would have held it between them, but there was no room – literally and figuratively. Studying it carefully, Mary spoke slowly.

"I can't believe that after all these years, after all the shit we've faced, something so small could come between us. It's amazing how much effect such a tiny object can have on people."

She looked him in the eyes then, only slightly surprised to see him looking right back at her.

"If this is going to break us," she said, her eyes sizing up the miniscule object, "Then I want no part of it."

With that, she flicked her wrist sharply, sending the small ring flying. Marshall's eyes widened in shock, and his mouth fell open slightly, as if he was going to say something, but he never did. She met his eyes just as the ring clattered the floor in some unknown part of the office.

She cupped his face in her hands, his eyes and mouth closing involuntarily.

"Marshall…" she trailed off and licked her lips again before continuing, "You're my best friend. My only friend. You're…" she paused for a moment and looked down, debating whether or not to say what she wanted – no, _needed_ – to say, before looking up and into his now open eyes.

"You're why I put up with my family. You're why I come to work. You're why I even bother to get up in the morning. You're –" she cut off there, before continuing in a whisper.

"_You're all I need."_

At that, she raised up slowly on her tip-toes, before pressing hr lips lightly against his.

At first he didn't respond, and just stood there motionless. After a few seconds, something inside of him – inside of _them_ – clicked. Suddenly, his hands were in her hair, pulling her closer, their tongues battling for dominance. Mary found herself pinned between Marshall and his desk fairly quickly. Slowly, she lowered onto the desk, parting her legs so he could stand between them, thus bringing them even closer.

Somehow, her hands found his hair, and his found her hips. Their heads moved in perfect synchronization, their kisses going from slow and cautious to fast and passionate. Neither really knew how long they stayed like this. It could have been minutes, days, or weeks – the sun could have set and risen again and neither would have noticed.

Eventually, however, the need for oxygen was too great, and they were forced to break apart. Leaning their heads together and breathing heavily, they grinned as their eyes met, for each were seeing the same things: Lust, Love, and Happiness. At any other time with anyone else, the last two emotions would have scared the living shit out of Mary. But this was Marshall._ Her _Marshall.

Suddenly, Mary thrust her hands between them and shoved Marshall roughly off of her. At first, it surprised the hell out of him, but when she pushed him down onto his chair and climbed on top of him, his confusion quickly changed to amusement. She smiled mischievously and ruffled his hair, letting it fall into it's natural position (**A/N: Think Trojan Horst ;)**), before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him thoroughly. His snaked around her back to pull her closer.

…….

And so, this night was the official beginning of Mary and Marshall's…_relationship_.

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**A/N: So??? Waddya think? Sequal? Yes no maybe? Stay as a one-shot? Beginning of a beautiful story(LMAO)? Well, for my FIRST-EVER in plain sight fanfic…**_**I**_** think that this is actually pretty good XD – but that's just me – it's you guys's opinions that count! Comment my darlings! LMAO**


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